Judge Bibaud denied defense lawyers' requests to allow their clients to stand in the stairwell for their arraignments. The lawyers argued there was an issue with identification in the case.

However, the judge granted their request to impound affidavits summarizing the complaints, making their arrest narratives unavailable to the press.

Police said four men wearing masks entered a first-floor apartment at 42 Oxford St. in Dudley about 7 p.m. Dec. 13 and assaulted two people. A man there suffered a serious head injury and his girlfriend received a serious leg injury. Police did not release the victims' names.

About 80 officers from the South County Crime and Drug Task Force, with the assistance of Massachusetts and Connecticut state police, assembled at the Southbridge Police Department early Tuesday for a coordinated sweep.

The teams executed four arrest warrants, as well as search warrants for 145 Mechanic St., Southbridge, and 30 Ladd Road, Sturbridge.

Officers arrested Mr. Hadley in his second-floor apartment at 278 Mechanic St. He was charged with mayhem, armed assault in a dwelling, home invasion and conspiracy.

Mr. Burke was arrested at 972 Main St. in Southbridge. He was charged with mayhem, armed assault in a dwelling, home invasion and conspiracy.

Mr. Cross was arrested in Morris, Conn., on charges of mayhem, armed assault in a dwelling, home invasion and conspiracy. His cash bail was set at $500,000 in Connecticut.

Mr. Hoenig was arrested at his home of 30 Ladd Road, Sturbridge, on charges of conspiracy, felony for hire, four counts of possessing a firearm with a felony conviction, four counts of possessing a firearm without a firearms identification card and possession of ammunition without an FID card.

Police said in a statement that evidence in the Dudley home invasion case as well as four firearms and ammunition were seized from 30 Ladd Road in Sturbridge.

A fifth man, 38-year-old Peter J. Battista, was arrested at his home at 145 Mechanic St., Southbridge, on a charge of being in possession of ammunition without an FID card. Mr. Battista posted $500 bail and was ordered to return for a Feb. 13 pretrial hearing.

Mr. Battista was arraigned separately and his court file was made available to the public. The police report said Mr. Battista told authorities a man he knew as Darryl came to his garage with a shotgun and ammunition, but Mr. Battista told him to leave with it.

State police Sgt. Daniel Wildgrube located two boxes of ammunition in a milk crate in the garage, the report said.